Integrated router having a power cycling switch

ABSTRACT

An integrated router is provided. The integrated router includes at least one network interface, a power supply input, a power supply output, and a power cycling switch. The at least one network interface is operative to place a first network device in electronical communication with a second network device. The power supply input is operative to receive electrical power from a power supply. The power supply output is operative to provide the electrical power to the second network device. The power cycling switch electrically connects the power supply input to the power supply output and is operative to be toggled by a remote network device via the at least one network interface so as to power cycle the second network device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of, and claims priorityto and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/921,839,filed on Mar. 15, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 62/471,573, filed on Mar. 15, 2017, the disclosuresof which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer networkingdevices, and more specifically, to an integrated router having a powercycling switch.

Discussion of Art

A wireless router is a device that performs the functions of a routerand also includes the functions of a wireless access point. It is usedto provide access to the Internet or to a private computer network. Itcan function in a wired local area network (“LAN”), in a wireless-onlyLAN (“WLAN”), or in a mixed wired/wireless network. In particular,wireless routers offer a convenient way to connect a small number ofwired and any number of wireless network devices to each other, to theInternet, as well as provide for file sharing and printing.

Presently, wireless routers are being used to connect remotely locatednetwork devices, e.g., automatic teller machines (“ATMs”), back to acentral server/network. Many network devices, however, typically need tobe power cycled, i.e., a “hard reset,” in order to clear/correct asystem error/lockup and/or for a hardware/firmware/software upgrade totake effect. As used herein with respect to electrical devices, theterms “power cycle” and “hard reset” refer to the process of temporarilyrestricting electrical power to such devices.

As sending maintenance personal to the physical location of a networkdevice for the purpose of power cycling the device is expensive and timeconsuming, remote power switches have been developed which provide foran operator, e.g., maintenance personnel or computer, to remotely powercycle a network device.

While stand-alone wireless routers and stand-alone remote power switchesare known in the art, no present device integrates the functions of bothtechnologies into a single form factor. Accordingly, present solutionsfor supporting a remotely located network device involve deploying twoseparate stand-alone devices at the site of the network device, i.e.,both a wireless router and a remote power switch. Manufacturers ofcomputer networking devices have not sought to incorporate the featuresof a remote power switch into a wireless router as it is commonlybelieved that having the functions of each divided over two separatephysical devices provides for flexibility in designing remote networktopographies.

What is needed, therefore, is a router having an integrated powercycling switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, an integrated router is provided. The integratedrouter includes at least one network interface, a power supply input, apower supply output, and a power cycling switch. The at least onenetwork interface is operative to place a first network device inelectronical communication with a second network device. The powersupply input is operative to receive electrical power from a powersupply. The power supply output is operative to provide the electricalpower to the second network device. The power cycling switchelectrically connects the power supply input to the power supply outputand is operative to be toggled by a remote network device via the atleast one network interface so as to power cycle the second networkdevice.

In another embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes anintegrated router, a first network device, a second network device, anda remote network device. The integrated router has at least one networkinterface, a power supply input operative to receive electrical powerfrom a power supply, a power supply output, and a power cycling switchthat electrically connects the power supply input to the power supplyoutput. The first network device and the second network device areoperative to electronically communicate with each other via the at leastone network interface. The remote network device is operative to togglethe power cycling switch via the at least one network interface. Thepower supply output is operative to provide the electrical power to thesecond network device such that toggling the power cycling switch powercycles the second network device.

In yet another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes:placing a first network device in electronical communication with asecond network device by way of at least one network interface of anintegrated router; receiving electrical power at a power supply input ofthe integrated router from a power supply; providing the electricalpower to the second network device via a power supply output of theintegrated router electrically connected to the power supply input via apower cycling switch of the integrated router; and power cycling thesecond network device by toggling the power cycling switch via a remotenetwork device by way of the at least one network interface.

DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from reading thefollowing description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to theattached drawings, wherein below:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an integrated router, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the integrated router of FIG. 1, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a high-level block diagram of the integrated router of FIG. 1,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the integrated router of FIG. 1,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a system that includes the integrated router ofFIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made below in detail to exemplary embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference characters usedthroughout the drawings refer to the same or like parts, withoutduplicative description.

As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “generally,” and “about”indicate conditions within reasonably achievable manufacturing andassembly tolerances, relative to ideal desired conditions suitable forachieving the functional purpose of a component or assembly. As usedherein, “electrically coupled,” “electrically connected,” and“electrical communication” mean that the referenced elements aredirectly or indirectly connected such that an electrical current mayflow from one to the other. The connection may include a directconductive connection, i.e., without an intervening capacitive,inductive or active element, an inductive connection, a capacitiveconnection, and/or any other suitable electrical connection. Interveningcomponents may be present. The term “network interface,” as used hereinwith respect to network devices, refers to a physical network connectioninterface, e.g., an Ethernet card having a radio and/or a wiredconnection port such as a RJ-45 or coaxial connection, that supports acomputer network connection, e.g., a TCP/IP connection. The term“real-time,” as used herein, means a level of processing responsivenessthat a user senses as sufficiently immediate or that enables theprocessor to keep up with an external process.

Further, while embodiments of the invention are described herein withrespect to TCP/IP stack compliant networking devices, it will beunderstood that the embodiments and principals disclosed herein areequally applicable to other network paradigms, e.g., IPX/SPX, whichprovide for the switching and/or routing of packets/datagrams.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-2, an integrated router 10, also referred tohereinafter simply as a “router,” in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention is shown. The integrated router 10 includes at least onenetwork interface 12, a power supply input 14, at least one power supplyoutput 16, and a power cycling switch 18. The at least one networkinterface 12 is operative to place a first network device 20 (FIG. 5) inelectronical communication with a second network device 22 (FIG. 5). Thepower supply input 14 is operative to receive electrical power from apower supply 24 (FIG. 5). The power supply output 16 is operative toprovide the electrical power to the second network device 22. The powercycling switch 18 electrically connects the power supply input 14 to thepower supply output 16 and is operative to be toggled by a remotenetwork device 26 (FIG. 5) via the at least one network interface 12 soas to power cycle the second network device 22.

In embodiments, the integrated router 10 may further include an externalhousing, formed by a top 28 and a bottom 30 cover, that houses a printedcircuit board 32 having at least one processors 34 and a memory device36. The integrated router 10 may further include a front 38 and a rear40 overlay, one or more magnets 42 disposed in one or more rubber feet44, one or more labels 46 and 48 disposed on the housing 28, 30, one ormore fasteners 50, e.g., screws, and/or one or more indicator lights 52.As will be appreciated, in embodiments, the router 10 may furtherinclude a battery pack (not shown) operative to provide backup power tothe router 10 in the event of a power loss such that the router 10 isable to send a message to an external user/machine, e.g., the first 20and/or the second 22 network devices, notifying the user of the router's10 power loss.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the power supply input 14 and the powersupply output 16 penetrate the housing 28 and 30. The power supply input14 may any type of power supply connector/adapter, to include auniversal alternating current (“AC”) snap-in inlet with a fuse holder.Similarly, the power supply output 16 may be any type of power supplyconnector/adapter, to include a NEMA 5-15 receptacle. As will beappreciated, the electrical power from the power supply 24 (FIG. 5) maybe AC or direct current (“DC”).

Moving now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a high-level block diagram (FIG. 3) and amore detailed block diagram (FIG. 4) of the integrated router 10 areshown. As shown in FIG. 3, the at least one network interface 12 mayinclude a wired network interface 54, e.g., TCP/IP via an RJ-45 orcoaxial connector, and wireless network interfaces, e.g., 802.11 WiFi56, Cellular 58, and Bluetooth 60. As will be appreciated, embodimentsof the invention may implement other types of wired and wireless networkinterfaces that support other appropriate networking protocols.

As further shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the integrated router 10 may alsoinclude a brownout detector 62 and/or a power waveform monitor 64. Aswill be understood, the brownout detector 62 is operative to detectpower interruptions to the second network device 22 (FIG. 5) from thepower supply 24 (FIG. 5), and to convey data concerning the detectedpower interruptions to the remote network device 26 (FIG. 5). Inembodiments, the brownout detector 62 may detect power interruptionslasting less-than-or-equal to 35 ms. The power waveform monitor 64 isoperative to analyze the electrical power from the power supply 24 andto convey data concerning the electrical power to the remote networkdevice 26.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the integrated router 10 may form part of asystem 64 that includes the first 20, second 22, and remote 26 networkdevices. As will be appreciated, the double arrowed lines and thenon-arrowed lines within FIG. 5 represent network connections andelectrical power connections/circuits, respectively. In embodiments, theremote network device 26 may be separate and apart from the firstnetwork device 20. In other embodiments, however, the first networkdevice 20 may be the remote network device 26.

In operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, thesystem 64 may include a network 66 having an integrated router 10connected to the Internet 68 via a cellular network 70 such that theintegrated router 10 serves as the gateway for one or more networkdevices, e.g., an ATM 22, and a mobile device 72. As further illustratedin FIG. 5, a power supply 24 is connected to the integrated router 10 ofnetwork 66 via the power supply input 14 (FIGS. 2-4), and a power input,e.g., power plug, of the ATM 22 is connected/plugged into the powersupply output 16 (FIGS. 2-4) of the same integrated router 10.

As will be appreciated, the system 64 may include another network 74having an integrated router 10 connected to the Internet 68 via a wiredWAN connection such that the integrated router 10 serves as the gatewayfor an ATM 22 within network 74. As will be appreciated, the ATM 22 innetwork 74 receives electrical power from a power supply 24 through theintegrated router 10 of network 74 in the same manner described abovewith respect to the ATM 22 of network 66.

As will be further appreciated, the system 64 may include yet anothernetwork 76 having an integrated router 10 and an ATM 22 behind a gatewaydevice 78, e.g., a firewall, with one or more additional networkdevices, e.g., a smart phone 80 and a laptop 82 connected to the gateway78 via the integrated router 10. As will be appreciated, the ATM 22 innetwork 76 receives electrical power from a power supply 24 through theintegrated router 10 of network 76 in the same manner described abovewith respect to the ATMs 22 of networks 66 and 74.

As will be appreciated, other network configurations utilizing differentcombinations of wired and/or wireless connections for the integratedrouters 10, second network devices 22, e.g., ATMs, and/or additionalnetwork devices 72, 80, and 82 are possible. Additionally, while theintegrated routers 10 are shown in FIG. 5 as routing traffic at the OpenSystems Interconnection (“OSI”) model layer 3, it will be understoodthat embodiments of the integrated router 10 may switch OSI layer 2packets/datagrams.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the second network devices 22, e.g.,ATMs, within the system 64, are able to electronically communicate viathe Internet 68 with the first network device 20, e.g., a datacenter/server, located in a network 84 separate from the networks 66,74, and 76. Additionally, an operator/user/computer can power cycle thesecond network devices 22 in each of the networks 66, 74, and 76 via theremote network device 26, which may be in a different network 84 and/or86. Moreover, the integrated routers 10 provide for additional networkdevices, 72, 80, and 82, which may be distributed across the variousnetworks 66, 74, 76, to communicate with each other via the Internet 68.

Finally, it is also to be understood that the integrated router 10 andother components of the system 64 may include the necessary electronics,software, memory, storage, databases, firmware, logic/state machines,microprocessors, communication links, displays or other visual or audiouser interfaces, printing devices, and any other input/output interfacesto perform the functions described herein and/or to achieve the resultsdescribed herein which may be in real-time. For example, as previouslymentioned, the system may include at least one processor and systemmemory/data storage structures, which may include random access memory(RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). The at least one processor of thesystem may include one or more conventional microprocessors and one ormore supplementary co-processors such as math co-processors or the like.The data storage structures discussed herein may include an appropriatecombination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and mayinclude, for example, RAM, ROM, flash drive, an optical disc such as acompact disc and/or a hard disk or drive.

Additionally, a software application that adapts the controller toperform the methods disclosed herein may be read into a main memory ofthe at least one processor from a computer-readable medium. The term“computer-readable medium”, as used herein, refers to any medium thatprovides or participates in providing instructions to the at least oneprocessor of the system 64 (or any other processor of a device describedherein) for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including butnot limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatilemedia include, for example, optical, magnetic, or opto-magnetic disks,such as memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory(DRAM), which typically constitutes the main memory. Common forms ofcomputer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexibledisk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM,DVD, any other optical medium, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM or EEPROM(electronically erasable programmable read-only memory), a FLASH-EEPROM,any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which acomputer can read.

While in embodiments, the execution of sequences of instructions in thesoftware application causes at least one processor to perform themethods/processes described herein, hard-wired circuitry may be used inplace of, or in combination with, software instructions forimplementation of the methods/processes of the present invention.Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to anyspecific combination of hardware and/or software.

It is further to be understood that the above description is intended tobe illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-describedembodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination witheach other. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation or material to the teachings of the inventionwithout departing from its scope.

For example, in an embodiment, an integrated router is provided. Theintegrated router includes at least one network interface, a powersupply input, a power supply output, and a power cycling switch. The atleast one network interface is operative to place a first network devicein electronical communication with a second network device. The powersupply input is operative to receive electrical power from a powersupply. The power supply output is operative to provide the electricalpower to the second network device. The power cycling switchelectrically connects the power supply input to the power supply outputand is operative to be toggled by a remote network device via the atleast one network interface so as to power cycle the second networkdevice. In certain embodiments, the first network device and the secondnetwork device are on separate OSI layer-three networks. In certainembodiments, the remote network device is the first network device. Incertain embodiments, the at least one network interface is furtheroperative to place a third network device in electronical communicationwith a fourth network device. In certain embodiments, the third networkdevice and the fourth network device are on separate OSI layer-threenetworks. In certain embodiments, the integrated router further includesa brownout detector operative to detect power interruptions to thesecond network device from the power supply and to convey dataconcerning the detected power interruptions to the remote networkdevice. In certain embodiments, the detected power interruptions areless-than-or-equal-to 35 ms. In certain embodiments, the integratedrouter further includes a power waveform monitor operative to analyzethe electrical power from the power supply and to convey data concerningthe electrical power to the remote network device. In certainembodiments, the at least one network interface includes a wired networkinterface. In certain embodiments, the at least one network interfaceincludes a wireless network interface. In certain embodiments, thewireless network interface is at least one of a cellular connection, aWiFi connection, and a Bluetooth connection.

Other embodiments provide for a system. The system includes anintegrated router, a first network device, a second network device, anda remote network device. The integrated router has at least one networkinterface, a power supply input operative to receive electrical powerfrom a power supply, a power supply output, and a power cycling switchthat electrically connects the power supply input to the power supplyoutput. The first network device and the second network device areoperative to electronically communicate with each other via the at leastone network interface. The remote network device is operative to togglethe power cycling switch via the at least one network interface. Thepower supply output is operative to provide the electrical power to thesecond network device such that toggling the power cycling switch powercycles the second network device. In certain embodiments, the firstnetwork device and the second network device are operative to be onseparate OSI layer-three networks. In certain embodiments, the remotenetwork device is the first network device. In certain embodiments, theat least one network interface is operative to place a third networkdevice in electronical communication with a fourth network device. Incertain embodiments, the third network device and the fourth networkdevice are on separate OSI layer-three networks. In certain embodiments,the integrated router further includes a brownout detector operative todetect power interruptions to the second network device from the powersupply and to convey data concerning the detected power interruptions tothe remote network device. In certain embodiments, the detected powerinterruptions are less-than-or-equal-to 35 ms. In certain embodiments,the integrated router further includes a power waveform monitoroperative to analyze the electrical power from the power supply and toconvey data concerning the electrical power to the remote networkdevice. In certain embodiments, the at least one network interfaceincludes a wired network interface. In certain embodiments, the at leastone network interface includes a wireless network interface. In certainembodiments, the wireless network interface is at least one of acellular connection, a WiFi connection, and a Bluetooth connection.

Yet still other embodiments provide for a method. The method includes:placing a first network device in electronical communication with asecond network device by way of at least one network interface of anintegrated router; receiving electrical power at a power supply input ofthe integrated router from a power supply; providing the electricalpower to the second network device via a power supply output of theintegrated router electrically connected to the power supply input via apower cycling switch of the integrated router; and power cycling thesecond network device by toggling the power cycling switch via a remotenetwork device by way of the at least one network interface. In certainembodiments, the first network device and the second network device areon separate OSI layer-three networks. In certain embodiments, the remotenetwork device is the first network device. In certain embodiments, themethod further includes placing a third network device in electricalcommunication with a fourth network device via the at least one networkinterface. In certain embodiments, the third network device and thefourth network device are on separate OSI layer-three networks. Incertain embodiments, the method further includes: detecting a powerinterruption to the second network device from the power supply via abrownout detector of the integrated router; and conveying dataconcerning the detected power interruption to the remote network devicevia the brownout detector. In certain embodiments, the detected powerinterruptions are less-than-or-equal-to 35 ms. In certain embodiments,the method further includes: analyzing the electrical power from thepower supply via a power waveform monitor of the integrated router; andconveying data concerning the electrical power to the remote networkdevice via the power waveform monitor. In certain embodiments, the atleast one network interface includes a wired network interface. Incertain embodiments, the at least one network interface includes awireless network interface. In certain embodiments, the wireless networkinterface is at least one of a cellular connection, a WiFi connection,and a Bluetooth connection.

Accordingly, as will be appreciated, the present invention provides forincreased ease of deploying and maintaining a single device thatperforms both routing and power cycling functions. For example, byproviding for both network connectivity of one or more network devices,as well as the ability to remotely power cycle one or more of theconnected network devices via the same, integrated device, the presentinvention provides for a smaller and more simplified form factor thantraditional approaches which incorporate separate stand-alone routersand remote power switches. In other words, embodiments of the presentinvention minimize the number of supporting devices required to bedisposed/installed at the location of remote network devices as comparedto traditional designs, providing for a simpler and cleaner installationwhich requires less space.

Thus, in the event of a device failure and/or update, embodiments of theinvention require only a single device be swapped out or upgraded. Assuch, embodiments of the present invention greatly reduce the amount oftime that maintenance personnel must spend at the remote location forinstallation, troubleshooting and repair.

Additionally, while the dimensions and types of materials describedherein are intended to define the parameters of the invention, they areby no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appendedclaims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, terms such as “first,”“second,” “third,” “upper,” “lower,” “bottom,” “top,” etc. are usedmerely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical or positionalrequirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the followingclaims are not written in means-plus-function format are not intended tobe interpreted as such, unless and until such claim limitationsexpressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of functionvoid of further structure.

This written description uses examples to disclose several embodimentsof the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable one ofordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of invention,including making and using any devices or systems and performing anyincorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is definedby the claims, and may include other examples that occur to one ofordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be withinthe scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do notdiffer from the literal language of the claims, or if they includeequivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from theliteral languages of the claims.

As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceededwith the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding pluralof said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated.Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention arenot intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unlessexplicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,”“including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having aparticular property may include additional such elements not having thatproperty.

Since certain changes may be made in the above-described invention,without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereininvolved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the abovedescription shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedmerely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shallnot be construed as limiting the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated router, comprising: at least oneinterface configured to place a first network device in electroniccommunication with a second network device; a power supply inputconfigured to receive electrical power from a power supply; a powersupply output configured to provide the electrical power to the secondnetwork device; a power cycling switch electrically connecting the powersupply input to the power supply output and configured to be toggled bya remote network device via the at least one interface so as to powercycle the second network device; and an enclosure containing the atleast one interface the power supply input, the power supply output andthe power cycling switch.
 2. The integrated router of claim 1, whereinthe first network device and the second network device are on separateOSI layer-three networks.
 3. The integrated router of claim 1, whereinthe remote network device is the first network device.
 4. The integratedrouter of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface is furtherconfigured to place a third network device in electronic communicationwith a fourth network device.
 5. The integrated router of claim 4,wherein the third network device and the fourth network device are onseparate OSI layer-three networks.
 6. The integrated router of claim 1further comprising: a brownout detector configured to detect powerinterruptions to the second network device from the power supply and toconvey data concerning the detected power interruptions to the remotenetwork device.
 7. The integrated router of claim 6, wherein thedetected power interruptions are less-than-or-equal-to 35 ms.
 8. Theintegrated router of claim 1 further comprising: a power waveformmonitor configured to analyze the electrical power from the power supplyand to convey data concerning the electrical power to the remote networkdevice.
 9. The integrated router of claim 1, wherein: the first networkdevice and the second network device being external to the integratedrouter.
 10. A system comprising: an integrated router having at leastone interface, a power supply input configured to receive electricalpower from a power supply, a power supply output, and a power cyclingswitch that electrically connects the power supply input to the powersupply output; a first network device and a second network deviceconfigured to electronically communicate with each other via the atleast one interface; a remote network device configured to toggle thepower cycling switch via the at least one interface; and wherein thepower supply output is configured to provide the electrical power to thesecond network device such that toggling the power cycling switch powercycles the second network device.
 11. The system of claim 10, whereinthe first network device and the second network device are external tothe integrated router.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein: the at leastone interface, the power supply input, the power supply output and thepower cycling switch being contained within a single housing.
 13. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the remote network device is the firstnetwork device.
 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least oneinterface is configured to place a third network device in electronicalcommunication with a fourth network device.
 15. The system of claim 14,wherein the third network device and the fourth network device are onseparate OSI layer-three networks.
 16. The system of claim 10, whereinthe integrated router further includes a brownout detector configured todetect power interruptions to the second network device from the powersupply and to convey data concerning the detected power interruptions tothe remote network device.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein thedetected power interruptions are less-than-or-equal-to 35 ms.
 18. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the integrated router further includes apower waveform monitor configured to analyze the electrical power fromthe power supply and to convey data concerning the electrical power tothe remote network device.
 19. A method of remotely power cycling anetwork device, comprising: placing a first network device in electroniccommunication with a second network device by way of at least oneinterface of an integrated router; providing electrical power to thesecond network device via a power supply output of the integratedrouter; and power cycling the second network device by toggling a powercycling switch of the integrated router via a remote network device byway of the at least one interface.
 20. The method according to claim 19,wherein: wherein the at least one interface, the power supply input, thepower supply output, and the power cycling switch are embodied in asingle device.